Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35072640›Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2022

The Smarter Safer Homes Solution to Support Older People Living in Their Own Homes Through Enhanced Care Models: Protocol for a Stratified Randomized Controlled Trial.

Qing Zhang, Marlien Varnfield, Liesel Higgins, Vanessa Smallbon, Julia Bomke, John O'Dwyer, Joshua M Byrnes, Melissa Sum, Jennifer Hewitt, Wei Lu and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Use of the adult social care outcomes toolkit (ASCOT) in research studies: an international scoping review.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Qing ZhangAustralian eHealth Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Herston, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1405-8505
Marlien VarnfieldAustralian eHealth Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Herston, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4848-0181
Liesel HigginsAustralian eHealth Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Herston, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5470-7034
Vanessa SmallbonAustralian eHealth Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Herston, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8183-0916
Julia BomkeAustralian eHealth Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Herston, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8548-9145
John O'DwyerAustralian eHealth Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Herston, Australia.
Joshua M ByrnesCentre for Applied Health Economics, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6562-711X
Melissa SumAnglicare Southern Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2972-3926
Jennifer HewittIntegratedliving Australia, Newcastle, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2736-005X
Wei LuAustralian eHealth Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Herston, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2869-8450
Mohanraj KarunanithiAustralian eHealth Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Herston, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9141-932X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAn aging population, accompanied by the prevalence of age-related diseases, presents a significant burden to health systems. This is exacerbated by an increasing shortage of aged care staff due to the existing workforce entering their retirement and fewer young people being attracted to work in aged care. In line with consumer preferences and potential cost-efficiencies, government and aged care providers are increasingly seeking options to move care and support to the community or home as opposed to residential care facilities. However, compared to residential care, home environments may provide limited opportunity for monitoring patients' progression/decline in functioning and therefore limited opportunity to provide timely intervention. To address this, the Smarter Safer Homes (SSH) platform was designed to enable self-monitoring and/or management, and to provide aged care providers with support to deliver their services. The platform uses open Internet of Things communication protocols to easily incorporate commercially available sensors into the system.

objectiveOur research aims to detail the benefits of utilizing the SSH platform as a service in its own right as well as a complementary service to more traditional/historical service offerings in aged care. This work is anticipated to validate the capacity and benefits of the SSH platform to enable older people to self-manage and aged care service providers to support their clients to live functionally and independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

methodsThis study was designed as a single-blinded, stratified, 12-month randomized controlled trial with participants recruited from three aged care providers in Queensland, Australia. The study aimed to recruit 200 people, including 145 people from metropolitan areas and 55 from regional areas. Participants were randomized to the intervention group (having the SSH platform installed in their homes to assist age care service providers in monitoring and providing timely support) and the control group (receiving their usual aged care services from providers). Data on community care, health and social-related quality of life, health service utilization, caregiver burden, and user experience of both groups were collected at the start, middle (6 months), and end of the trial (12 months).

resultsThe trial recruited its first participant in April 2019 and data collection of the last participant was completed in November 2020. The trial eventually recruited 195 participants, with 98 participants allocated to the intervention group and 97 participants allocated to the control group. The study also received participants' health service data from government data resources in June 2021.

conclusionsA crisis is looming to support the aging population. Digital solutions such as the SSH platform have the potential to address this crisis and support aged care in the home and community. The outcomes of this study could improve and support the delivery of aged care services and provide better quality of life to older Australians in various geographical locations.

trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618000829213; https://tinyurl.com/2n6a75em. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/31970.

Indexed as

aged carebenefitcaredigital healthmethodologyobjective activity of daily livingolder adultsplatformrandomized trialself-managementsmart homesupportutilizationwireless sensor network

Identifiers

PMID35072640
PMCPMC8822419

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.